pH meter. PH meters are the most
convenient to use. The probe is placed in
the water or medium and indicates pH.
These items are available at plant stores
and hi-tech garden centers and are easy to
use.
Once the water is tested gardeners
adjust it if it is not in the ideal range of 6.2-
6.8. Hydroponic supply companies sell pH
adjusters which are convenient and highly
recommended. The solution can also be
adjusted using common household
chemicals. The pH of highly acidic solutions
can be raised using bicarbonate of soda,
wood ash or hydrated lime. Alkaline water
can be adjusted using nitric or sulphuric
acid, citric acid or vinegar. Once a standard
measure of how much chemical is needed
to adjust the water, the process becomes
fast and easy to do.
Plants affect the pH of the water
solution as they remove various nutrients.
Microbes growing in the medium also
change the pH. PH is adjusted whenever
the water is changed or added. Since the
medium and plants affect the water’s pH,
growers often take a pH reading of the
water after it has passed through the
system. Water passing through a low pH
medium can be adjusted upwards. High pH
mediums such as rockwool are often
irrigated using low pH water.
Step By Step
- The water’s pH is tested and adjusted
whenever the garden is watered.